Ashes of the Phoenix
by AlexDrexler
Summary: The battle at Jusendo Mountain goes wrong and Akane ends up returning home alone. Two years later, Akane must face an enemy she hoped she'd never see again.
1. Agony of Defeat

Chapter One: Agony of Defeat  
  
The sun rose, finally cutting through the light fog shrouding the summit of Jusendou mountain. The fog reluctantly abandoned its station, revealing three dark figures standing in the middle of the topmost clearing in the dense forests. Tensions built as battle auras flared, barely held in check as two of the figures, one boy and one girl, faced off against the third, a radiant figure sheathed in light.  
  
"You WILL return the map to me, human," the lone figure commanded, aura flaming brightly. This man was not used to being disobeyed, as he, Saffron, had been the supreme ruler of Phoenix Mountain for over four thousand years. To better make his point, Saffron stretched his glorious, golden wings as wide as they could go. This action made Saffron appear every bit the near-god he was.  
  
"Like hell I will," the boy of the pair answered. "I'm not going to let you destroy my chances of being all guy again." Just as Saffron was unused to being disobeyed, this boy was unused to being commanded. Ever since his father had insisted on dragging him to Jusenkyo, Ranma Saotome had lost all faith in any figures of authority.   
  
"Then maybe this will change your mind," Saffron said, raising his left hand toward Ranma, flames dancing lightly on regal fingers.  
  
The raven-haired young man tensed, every muscle in his body ready to dodge the spout of flame that would come from the hand of the king of Phoenix Mountain. As expected, flames shot toward him, and Ranma leapt out of the way easily; too easily. "Oh, no." Realization dawned on him and he moved as quickly as he could. The shot toward him had been a distraction and Ranma watched in horror as the full force of the true attack engulfed the girl who had come with him.  
  
"NOOOOOOO!!! AKANE!!!" Ranma screamed, running to the girl's side. Scooping her up in his arms, Ranma tried desperately to find signs of life. Akane felt extremely light and fragile in his arms and she wasn't breathing.  
  
"Give me the map, human, and I'll grant you access to the spring at the top of this mountain," Saffron said, an air of smuggness to his voice, "the water there is the only thing that will save her now."  
  
Ranma heard these words and looked again upon the face of the fiancee his father had arranged for him long before either of the two children had been born. Ranma studied the short-cut, blue-black hair, the large eyes, and small mouth of the face that had brought him so much frustration, so much pain, and yet so much joy. "I love you," he wispered, almost inaudibly into the girl's ear. "I've been so afraid that you didn't love me back, and now it's too late." A lone tear ran down Ranma's cheeck, carving a path through the dust that had accumulated during the trip to China. "Don't worry, I'll save you. And I'll make that bastard pay."  
  
"You had better hurry, human, soon it will be too late," Saffron said, adding fuel to the fire burning in Ranma's chest.  
  
Ranma stood, battle aura flaring brightly, rivalling the light given off by Saffron, who was the embodiment of heat and light for the bird-people of Phoenix Mountain. "I'll kill you," Ranma said in a cold voice.  
  
"So, that's how you want it, human? Then so be it," Saffron answered, raising both taloned hands in Ranma's direction.  
  
Ranma blurred as flames shot toward him from Saffron's outstretched hands. "Katshu Tenshin Amiguriken!" Crossing the distance between them in mere seconds, Ranma landed several hundred punches on Saffron's side and back.   
  
Saffron was somewhat surprised when he began feeling the punches raining down upon him. The human had moved faster than he could even see. Most of all, Saffron was angry. Saffron thought to himself. Launching himself into the air, Saffron called to Kiima, one of his high-ranking officers. "Stand down, seneschal, this one is mine."  
  
Through a red haze, Ranma watched Saffron take to the air to escape his attacks. Vaguely, he registered the fact that Saffron yelled something, but rage pushed him well beyond the point of caring. To Ranma, Saffron seemed to move in slow motion as the Phoenix King began a dive bomb that would incinerate anything in his path. Ranma, moving at inhuman speed, danced out of the way, then pounced upon Saffron, landing several kicks that would have laid out even Ryoga before the Lord of the Phoenix could recover from missing his attack.  
  
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As the battle between Ranma and Saffron raged, Ryoga Hibiki wondered where he was THIS time. He was, unbeknownst to him, standing underneath a large sign that read: "Jusendo Mountain" in both Chinese and Japanese.  
  
Ryoga thought wistfully.   
  
Ryoga was ripped from his thoughts by a large explosion and a great blast of fire coming from the top of the mountain. This, of course, could only mean one thing in Ryoga's mind.  
  
  
  
With that, Ryoga set off, once again, to make Ranma pay for his crimes against Akane. Miraculously, he actually headed in the right direction.  
  
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Rage was beginning to give way to desperation. Ranma was throwing everything he had at Saffron, but the Phoenix King kept getting up. Ranma sidestepped another small fireball and snapped his foot at Saffron's head. The kick was blocked, but Ranma followed up with a flurry of punches, scoring several hits on Saffron's left side. One of the punches hit squarely on the joint of Saffron's glorious wing, and Ranma heard a sickening crack and felt delicate bones give way under his fist. Pressing his advantage, Ranma moved around Saffron's back to the King's right side and broke the other wing as well.  
  
"Do you yield?" Ranma asked, looking into impossibly old eyes that were stricken with pain.  
  
"Never," Saffron growled, flame gathering around him like a cloak. As Ranma watched, the bones in Saffron's wings straightened and knitted themselves together. "For that," Saffron said through clenched teeth, "you and your whore will die." Saffron leapt into the sky, drawing his power.  
  
Ranma felt the imense power flowing around him and moved. He knew that he'd either be fast enough or he wouldn't, so he didn't even bother to think.  
  
Saffron simply smiled to himself. His blast had nearly ripped the top of the mountain off. Suddenly, a hammerblow hit him square in the back, sending him tumbling toward the ground. Saffron cursed his human opponent as he hit the ground and his world went black.  
  
Ranma spared a quick thought as he landed a few feet behind the still form of his opponent.   
  
A split second later, Ranma was sprinting toward the spring at the mountain's summit, vaguely noting that Kiima was just beginning to stir from where she'd been knocked out by the force of Saffron's blast.  
  
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Ryoga reached the clearing just as Ranma dissappeared into what was left of the forest ringing the summit of the mountain.  
  
"Damn you, you coward!" he exclaimed, thinking that Ranma was running to get away from him. Then he noticed the devastation. Only the mightiest of trees still stood, the rest bowled over and still smoldering. The whole clearing smoked as blackened ash covered the ground that had formerly consisted of soft grass. A pretty, winged woman was dragging herself up from a tangle of fallen trees, rubbing her head and mumbling. Just at the edge of the scorched part of the landscape, a winged man lay motionless. Ryoga could tell that, when the man was cleaned and healthy, he would be regal at the very least. A few yards away from the man and the desolation, Ryoga saw a sight that nearly made his heart stop. Akane lay in the grass, still as death, and for a few agonizing heartbeats, Ryoga thought that she was dead as he ran to her side. Then, to his extreme relief, her chest rose and fell softly, but slowly.  
  
Ranma finally appeared from the direction he'd gone, carrying a bottle of something. Ryoga intercepted him and grabbed his shirt with both hands.  
  
"What have you done to Akane?!" Ryoga demanded.  
  
"Aw, geez, Ryoga, I don't have time for- oh, crap," Ranma said, looking over Ryoga's shoulder. "Here, take this and give it to Akane," he said, addressing Ryoga again, "it's the only thing that'll bring her back. I'll hold him off."  
  
"Hold who off? Ranma, where-," Ryoga asked, turning to see what Ranma was looking at. As he turned, he saw the man who had been on the ground rising and gathering flames around himself. Only sparing one more glance at the bottle Ranma had pressed into his hands, Ryoga raced to Akane's side, uncorked the bottle, and poured the contents into her mouth. Ryoga was only slightly aware of the sounds of battle behind him as he held his breath, waiting for Akane to awaken.  
  
Ryoga's prayers were soon answered as Akane gasped and sat bolt upright. Suddenly, a loud battlecry broke into Ryoga's world of worry. Both Ryoga and Akane turned to see what was happening. What they saw would shatter the world as they knew it.  
  
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Ranma could feel Saffron's power gathering, and could tell by the Phoenix King's posture where the blast would be aimed. It was a decision he'd been willing to make for quite some time now. With a cry, he launched himself at Saffron one last time. Ranma's punch hit Saffron squarely in the jaw, snapping his head back, but it was too late to stop the blast Saffron had been preparing.   
  
The last thoughts that went through Ranma's mind as the fireball engulfed them both were of Akane and how he was proud to give his life to save hers.  
  
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Author's note: Ok, assuming I have any readers left, I hope you enjoyed this. Sorry it took so long, but I was having trouble with the fight scene between Ranma and Saffron. That brings up another point... I know I'm probably butchering the Jusendo arc as you all know it, but I don't speak or read Japanese at all, and I had fun making my own events. I'd really appreciate some comments and criticism on how I did with this chapter. Again, thanks for reading my work! Oh, yeah, the characters used in this story were created by Rumiko Takahashi and are her property, not mine, and this is intended in no way to infringe upon the rights she has. Besides, I'm not making any money off of this, so there's no point in suing me, right? -Andy  
  
Author's note revised: Ok, I fixed some of the bugs and streamlined the story some. Many thanks to Taliesin, who preread the story for me and made fun of me until I changed some of this stuff. Anyway, I plan to expand the rest of the chapters as well and add some more meat to the story, so keep an eye out for updates. Thanks for your support and please email me and let know what you think. 


	2. Realization of Loss

Chapter 2: Realization of Loss  
  
Ranma shoved the spring water into Ryoga's hands, knowing that the Lost Boy would take care of Akane. Ranma wondered as he sped across the clearing to confront his opponent.   
  
A desperate battle ensued as Ranma dodged increasingly powerful attacks while trying to keep Saffron's attention away from Akane and Ryoga.  
  
Ranma thought.   
  
Suddenly, Saffron's barrage ebbed. The Phoenix King stood perfectly still in the middle of the scorched wasteland that had once been a beautiful clearing in a pristine mountain forest.  
  
Ranma realized his mistake too late. It was far too late for him to dodge the immense blast Saffron was readying. The last thing Ranma Saotome felt as he flew toward the Lord of Phoenix Mountain was the kiss of fire spreading over his skin.  
  
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Ryoga could sense the pure power emanating from Ranma's opponent, who was doing an effective job of keeping Ranma completely on the defensive; something no one, not even Ryoga, had ever done before. Ryoga's thought trailed off as something finally penetrated his thick head, causing him to gasp. "He's guiding him away from US!" This realization, of course, was in direct conflict with Ryoga's basic life principle (ie - everything Ranma did was a direct attack on him or Akane). Memories long surpressed during his campaign to defeat Ranma flooded Ryoga's mind.   
  
Ranma leading Ryoga to school every day when they were young, even as Ryoga cursed the very name of Ranma Saotome.  
  
Ranma promising not to tell Akane about P-chan.  
  
Ranma dragging him from a stream after their first fight since being trained in the Bakusai Tenketsu, saving the life of the unconscious piglet.  
  
Ranma helping to rid him of the silly-looking "Mark of the Gods."  
  
Reality finally collapsed Ryoga's fantasy world. Ryoga thought, in shock. Ryoga started, sensing something terribly wrong in the fight before him as Ranma sailed through the air toward the unmoving demi- god. Before Ryoga could react, Ranma's fist connected with Saffron's jaw and all hell broke loose.  
  
Ryoga looked on in horror as a raging inferno replaced the area surrounding the combatants. Even 150 meters away, the temperature was becoming increasingly uncomfortable.  
  
"Ranma..." Akane said weakly, tears forming in her dark eyes.  
  
When the blaze subsided seconds later, Akane just buried her face against Ryoga's chest, sobbing uncontrollably.  
  
Ryoga helped Akane to her feet and the pair walked over to the newly made crater, hoping that, by some freak chance, Ranma had survived. What they found was an egg. A little bigger than the average infant, a perfect egg lay in the center of the charred, black hole as if in a nest. An all-too-familiar voice stopped Akane's hand as she reached out to touch it.  
  
"Touch that, human, and you will die. Painfully."  
  
"Kiima!?" Akane shrieked, than promptly passed out from stress.  
  
"What do you want?" Ryoga asked, readying himself for battle. I don't care if I die right now, he thought to himself,   
  
"If you must know, human," Kiima said disdainfully, "I am retrieving my King." Without another word, she carefully hoisted the egg and took to the air, heading home, and leaving Ryoga to tend to Akane.  
  
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Four long, tense hours later, Ryoga breathed a sigh of relief as Akane finally stirred, sitting up groggily, still holding her head in one hand. Akane looked up at Ryoga with questioning eyes. "Ryoga? Where's Ranma?"  
  
Ryoga dropped his eyes, suddenly unable to look Akane in the face. "Akane, I-," he began, "I don't know how to tell you this... Ranma's... not here anymore."  
  
Akane's features immediately contorted in anger. "Just like that jerk! He finally tells me he loves me, then runs away. That JERK!"  
  
Ryoga's face twisted in pain at those words. "Akane, Ranma didn't run away. He's dead." Silent tears welled in Ryoga's eyes as memories of Ranma raced through his head. A single bead of moisture ran down his chin as he found a new meaning for his life.  
  
"NO!" Akane screamed, finally coming out of the shock caused by Ryoga's last statement. "You're lying! Ranma can't be dead! He finally told me he loves me, and I love him. I have to find him!"  
  
Surprisingly, hearing this didn't hurt as much as Ryoga had expected. As he followed Akane, who had run off into the woods, calling Ranma's name, Ryoga thought to himself, I guess I knew that all along. I wonder why none of us could admit it? Ryoga sighed as Akane continued screaming Ranma's name, being answered only by the birds and insects just now settling down again after the apocalyptic battle. he thought. Then, as he pulled out his umbrella to protect himself from the rain that was just starting, another thought hit him. Ryoga began trying to figure out just how to tell Akane about his secret as he followed her (very closely, for obvious reasons) as she continued her ill-fated search.  
  
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Hours later, Ryoga and Akane sat by the fire Ryoga had made. Akane was huddled in a blanket, staring blankly into the fire, tears still silently running down both cheeks. Ryoga was absently poking at the fire with a stick, still trying to figure out how to tell Akane about P-chan without risking severe bodily harm. He was thouroughly worried about Akane as she hadn't spoken since just before nightfall, she'd fallen to her knees on the ground where she now sat.  
  
"Ryoga?" Akane said softly, causing Ryoga to jump. "Ryoga, is it true?" Akane asked, still staring at the fire. "Is he really dead?"  
  
"He died protecting us from that fiery-winged- thing. His last words were for me to protect you," Ryoga answered, feeling pain deep in his heart. I should have been fighting beside him, he thought to himself. his new-found reasonable side countered, .  
  
"Oh, Ranma!" Akane cried, jumping up and running off into the night, easily losing Ryoga, even though she was running blindly in a straight line.  
  
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Minutes later, Ryoga stared blankly at the campsite he could have sworn he just left behind and cursed his sense of direction. Again.  
  
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Author's note: Sorry this took so long.... blah, blah..... finals..... blah, blah...... writer's block........ blah, blah.......characters not mine.......... blah, blah........  
  
Author's note revised: Ok, I did some editing and tried to alleviate any confusion... did I spell alleviate right?... Oh, well, thank you for reading! I can't tell you how much I love writing this, but I'm not getting any reader feedback and that makes me sad... 


	3. Wrath

Chapter 3: Wrath  
  
Ryoga awoke from a troubled sleep and silently began breaking camp, preparing for the long trip back to the Tendo Dojo. He paused to watch the sun rise, as he did every morning. The beauty that had so often washed away the bulk of his depression for a few precious moments did nothing for the dull ache now residing in his heart. Trying desperately to blink away new tears, he just stood and thought, something he hadn't done since before he could remember. Now, he reflected on the events of the previous day and thought about what he now knew he must do. Sighing, he picked up his pack and started off toward the Tendo home.  
  
By noon, he was in Cleveland.  
  
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Akane had been running for hours, tears streaming down her face. Now she was huddled in the corner of a small cabin on a boat bound for Tokyo, shaking and sobbing uncontrollably.  
  
When the boat docked an indeterminant amount of time later, Akane forced herself to get up and proceeded to walk toward her home in a daze, muttering to herself, trying to rationalize what had happened and telling herself that Ranma would be there when she got home.  
  
Upon arriving home, Akane simply walked up the stairs, not even looking at the ever-cheerful Kasumi, who peeked out from the kitchen, and headed to her room, locking the door behind her. Alone in her room, Akane collapsed onto her bed, tears flowing freely once again, soaking her pillow.  
  
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Ryoga was walking down the street, wondering when people in France had started speaking Japanese when he noticed a sign that read "Tendo Dojo." Ryoga thought.  
  
Luckily for Ryoga, Kasumi returned from her shopping and saw him before he went to try to find the front door somewhere in Yokohama. "Oh, hello, Ryoga," she said, smiling sweetly behind her armful of groceries, which Ryoga took, following her inside after exchanging greetings.  
  
"Uh, Kasumi," Ryoga started, "is Akane home?"  
  
A frown darkened Kasumi's face for a brief moment before she answered. "When she came home a few days ago, she locked herself in her room and has refused to come out. I've had to just leave her food by the door and hope she gets it. I'm worried about her." Kasumi's eyes took on a pleading look. "Would you be so kind as to go talk to her? She really needs a friend right now."  
  
"Of course, Kasumi. I have some things that I need to talk to her about, myself," Ryoga said, getting up and moving toward the stairs.  
  
"Like the fact that you're really P-chan?" Kasumi prodded, eliciting an "Urk" from the boy about to step into the closet.  
  
"You know?" Ryoga asked, looking over his shoulder nervously.  
  
"Ryoga," Kasumi chided, "only Akane is THAT blind."  
  
"I guess you're right," Ryoga said. "I do have a lot of explaining to do." He then promptly went through the front door.  
  
An hour later, Ryoga was wandering around Hiroshima, looking for Akane's room, silently cursing his bloodline for their sense of direction.  
  
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Alone in a dark room, Akane wiped her eyes. She knew she couldn't stay here forever; she'd have to get on with her life. Her stomach took this thought as a cue to audibly remind her of another reason she had to rejoin the world.  
  
Akane quietly exited her room and went downstairs, seeking the only real source of comfort left for her.  
  
"K- Kasumi?" Akane said timidly, peeking into the kitchen and causing her older sister to jump in surprise.  
  
"Oh, it's you, Akane," Kasumi said. "I've been meaning to ask you something," she continued.  
  
"Wha- what is it, Kasumi?" Akane asked, dreading the inevitable question.  
  
"When will Ranma be coming home? It's not like him to miss a meal," Kasumi asked, sounding only mildly concerned.  
  
Searing pain shot through Akane's heart, and she had to choke back sobs in order to answer. "Kasumi," she croaked, "Ranma's dead. He died trying to protect me."  
  
"Oh, my," Kasumi answered as Akane hugged her tight and sobbed against her elder sister's chest.  
  
For the first time in anyone's memory, Kasumi Tendo allowed dinner to burn that night.  
  
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Ryoga was lost. This was indeed a common occurrence. This time was different from the others, however. This time, he wasn't just lost in the sense that he didn't know where he was or how to get where he was going. This time, he was lost in that he didn't know what to do with his life. He'd vowed to protect Akane, but fate seemed to be firmly against that idea.  
  
"Oh, hello, Ryoga," said a kind, soft, familiar voice.  
  
Ryoga thought. "Hi, Kasumi. What are you doing in Australia?"  
  
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"Akane?"  
  
"What is it, Kasumi?" Akane asked, looking up from the mountain of makeup work on her desk.  
  
"There's someone who would like to speak with you," the eldest of the Tendo sisters answered. "Should I let him in?"  
  
"Of course," Akane said. "I need a break anyway."  
  
"It's ok, Akane will speak with you now," Kasumi said, looking down the hall. "Oh my, that's the closet. Akane's over here," she added, allowing Akane to guess who her visitor was.  
  
Ryoga stepped into Akane's room, looking rather uncomforatable.  
  
"I'll leave you two alone," Kasumi said, nearly causing Ryoga's heart to stop. "I know you two have a lot to talk about."  
  
Ryoga nearly paniced and bolted for the window, but he couldn't find one, not even the one in front of him.  
  
"What is it you wanted to talk about, Ryoga?" Akane asked, giving him a questioning look.  
  
"Well, Akane, it's about your pet P-chan..." Ryoga said hesistantly.  
  
"Have you seen him?" Akane asked, getting excited. "I haven't seen him in a while. I'm starting to worry..."  
  
"W- well, y- you see..." Ryoga stammered, figetting with his hands nervously, "when I followed Ranma to China, I went to Jusenkyo, too." Ryoga took a deep breath. "P-chan'smycursedformItrickedyouI'm sorry."  
  
"WHAT!?!" Akane screamed.  
  
"Akane, I-"   
  
"You saw me in the nude, you lech!" "You slept in my bed!" Akane continued her verbal and physical assault for hours. Ryoga passed in and out of consciousness.  
  
he thought between blackouts.  
  
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Kiima smiled. Her king was hatching. Soon, things would go back to normal. A large crack appeared and she broke a large piece of the shell off. As the shell came away, her expectant smile turned to a look of shock and horror. The infant inside could not be her king.  
  
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Author's note: Hey there! Sorry it took so long for this to get out, but I'm really lazy when it comes to busy work. I've actually had this written out on paper for a while now, but never could get up the will to type it. There is some good news, though. Chapter four and about a third of Chapter five are all written out on paper, so maybe now I'll get in the mood to type them, too. Please e-mail to let me know what you think. I'm not sure I've still got any readers out there....  
  
Author's note revised: Ok, this revision, like the first two chapters, was mainly to correct grammatical and general flaws in the flow of the story. I plan to do a complete overhaul of the next two chapters, adding lots of explanation and to delve into the Psyche of each of the two main characters, so it may be quite a bit before I get that done, but believe me, it should be worth waiting for... Oh, yeah, these characters are not mine; they never were... I just like to put them in my stories... {insert usual plea for responses here} 


	4. Reconciliation

Chapter 4: Reconciliation  
  
Ryoga felt like he was swimming in a pool of blackness. The blackness eventually faded to gray and suddenly Ryoga opened his eyes and squinted at the sudden brightness of the white hospital room.  
  
"Oh, Ryoga, you're awake," came Kasumi's cheerful voice. "How are you feeling?"  
  
Ryoga considered the question and tried to find someplace that didn't hurt. He couldn't find one. "I hurt all over. How long have I been unconscious?" he asked.  
  
"Nearly two years," Kasumi said.  
  
"T- t- two years?!" Ryoga exclaimed, causing the pain in his body to reawaken. Ryoga clenched his teeth and gripped the sides of the bed to keep from screaming.  
  
"You're lucky to be alive," Kasumi said, concern on her face. "The doctors said that anyone else would have been killed many times over by the beating Akane gave you. You really should have told her sooner," she scolded.  
  
Ryoga sighed and looked out the window. "I know," he admitted. "I made a lot of mistakes. I really don't know how I could have been so blind."  
  
"Akane has had time to think while you were unconscious," Kasumi said. "She's felt so guilty about what she did."  
  
"Will she ever want to see me again, Kasumi?" Ryoga asked.  
  
"But of course, Ryoga," Kasumi answered. "In fact, she should be here in a few minutes. She's been coming by every day after school to check on you. She'll be relieved to see that you're awake."  
  
Both turned as the door opened and Akane stepped through. When Ryoga saw her, his heart almost broke. He could see that she'd developed into a fine-looking young woman, but her beauty was marred by the look of depression on her face. Depression then turned to guilt as her eyes turned toward hem and she saw that he was awake.  
  
"Ryoga, I-" she started, sounding like she was about to cry.  
  
"Akane," Ryoga interrupted, "if anyone should be sorry, it's me. I betrayed your trust and deceived you. I told you about it because I don't want to lie to you anymore. I love you..." Ryoga paused, realizing what he just said. "I didn't just say that out loud, did I? I guess I did. Well, it's the truth and I'll understand if you don't ever want to see me again because of what I did."  
  
Tears formed in Akane's eyes as she heard this. "Ryoga," she said, "don't you leave me, too. I've already lost two people in my life that I cared deeply for, and I don't think I could stand to lose another."  
  
Both smiled as they embraced and Kasumi silently slipped out and closed the door, happy for her youngest sister and relieved that Nabiki wasn't here with her camera.  
  
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Kiima knelt before her king, trembling with excitement. After two years, they were finally ready to take revenge upon the humans that had killed her king.  
  
"Well, seneschal," the figure on the throne boomed, impatient with the formality, "what have you to report?"  
  
Kiima winced, thinking to herself, "As you know, my Lord, we have been preparing to exact revenge upon the accomplices to your last death. I know you wanted to wait until the boy awoke. The spies finally reported that the boy woke up a few days ago and shows signs that he will reach full potential in one month."  
  
An evil grin spread across the face of the Lord of Phoenix Mountain. "Begin readying my escort."  
  
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Ryoga was undergoing some rigorous physical therapy. Though his ki-enhanced healing had reduced his wounds to nothing but a few fading bruises, two years of inactivity had severely atrophied his muscles. At the moment, he was straining the limits of the exercise equipment. In less than two weeks, he'd need to go elsewhere to train if he planned to regain all that he'd lost.  
  
Throughout his training, Ryoga thought only of Akane. She was the only reason for him to train now that Ranma was gone. Even though the threats from all of Ranma's other fiancees were gone, there was still Happosai, should he return, the threat of the inevitable demon or foreign prince coming to kidnap her, and, if he wanted to start a relationship, he'd most certainly have to stave off attacks by Kuno, Gosunkugi, and nearly the entire male population of Furinkan High School.  
  
I wonder how Akane's doing at school right now, anyway? Ryoga thought to himself.  
  
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"Miss Tendo?" the teacher asked, pulling Akane back to reality.  
  
"Huh?" Akane answered intelligently, seeing the expectant look on the teacher's face.  
  
"Daydreaming in class?" the teacher asked, a little surprised. "That isn't like you at all, Miss Tendo. Go stand in the hall."  
  
A few moments later, Akane was standing in the hallway with a bucket of water, just finishing trying in vain to find a logical explanation for why it is effective to send a student out of class as punishment for not paying attention in class. It had given her quite a headache.  
  
she thought,   
  
Akane stood there thinking until the bell for class change rang, but she couldn't come any closer to sorting out her feelings than she had over the past two years.  
  
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"Well, Nabiki Tendo, what have you for me, today?"  
  
"Well, Kuno-baby," came the reply, "I have a special surprise for you today."  
  
"A surprise, eh? What have you that could surprise me anymore?"  
  
"Well, just take a look," Nabiki said, pulling out several photographs. When she spread them out on the table, Kuno's eyes went wide in genuine surprise. The pictures were all of Akane in her training gi, breaking bricks and doing katas. While the fact that her usual gi was having some difficulty containing her developing frame would have been enough to surprise him, something else caught Kuno's attention.  
  
"Akane Tendo, smiling?" Kuno asked. "I had thought she would never rise from the depths of despair caused, no doubt, as an after- effect of the vile sorceror Saotome's foul enchantment." Kuno's eyes widened even further when the inevitable realization dawned on him. "This must mean at last that she is free of the demon's influence and thus will again be receptive to the manly charms of the Raging Storm of Tokyo College!"  
  
Nabiki just sighed in resignation as she watched him run off. she thought as she pocketed the money Kuno had given her during his proclaimation.  
  
------------  
  
Ryoga tensed as he felt someone watching him. By instinct, he relaxed and continued his kata. Even though he was paying careful attention to his surroundings, he barely managed to avoid the blow that seemingly came from out of nowhere. He rolled out of the way and came up in a ready stance, facing his opponent, and immediately facefaulted.  
  
"Well, well," the small being said, "not all hope is lost for you, after all."  
  
"Co- Cologne?" Ryoga stammered, picking himself up off the ground. "Kasumi told me that you went home to China when you heard that Ranma had died."  
  
"That is true, young apprentice. Shampoo, Mousse, and I did return to China nearly two years ago," the Amazon matriarch replied. "But, five days ago, a small army of figures was seen leaving Phoenix Mountain and heading in the direction of Japan."  
  
"What does that mean?" Ryoga asked, visibly beginning to get nervous.  
  
"As far as I can tell," Cologne started, "Saffron is revived and wishes to take revenge on you and Akane for your part in his last death."  
  
"But we didn't do anything!" Ryoga protested. he thought, old tears resurfacing.  
  
"Unfortunately, I don't believe Saffron will believe you... if he'll even stop to listen, that is," Cologne said. "I'm offering to train you," she continued. "After all, I've become quite fond of you and Akane over the time I spent here trying to win Ranma for Shampoo."  
  
Ryoga blushed a little at the compliment, but quickly recovered. "Thank you, Cologne. I would be honored to train with you," he said, thinking back to when he'd laughed at her the first time she'd made such an offer. he thought.  
  
"Good," Cologne said, then took on a thoughtful look. "Now, where do I begin?"  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Author's Note:  
  
YAY! I actually got something done on this story! Ok, anyway, I know some people may be a little annoyed at the skipping of those two years, but I figured Akane needed a little time to mature a little more before putting her in a high stress situation again. Oh, and I decided that Saffron needed time to grow up, too. As always, I'm begging for e-mails. Tell me what you liked, what you didn't like, where you'd like the story to go, where you'd like to tell me to go.... anything at all. I plan to introduce Saffron again in the next chapter and I have a huge plot twist in store that I don't think any of you will see coming.... heh, heh, heh 


	5. Passing the Torch

Chapter 5: Passing the Torch  
  
Akane woke to the smell of breakfast cooking downstairs. While this was far from uncommon, the mood she was in had become rare over the past two years.  
  
"Morning Dad. Morning Kasumi," she said cheerfully as she came into the dining room.  
  
"Oh, good morning Akane," Kasumi replied, just as cheerfully, "Your breakfast is already on the table."  
  
"Thanks, Kasumi," Akane said, then turned to look at her father. "I still can't get used to not seeing Ranma and Mr. Saotome every morning," she said, her smile faltering slightly.  
  
Soun Tendo put down the newspaper he'd been reading and regarded his youngest daughter, feeling an old, but not quite healed pain in his heart. "Yes, my friend Saotome's departure was rather sudden, but after what happened to Ranma, it could not be avoided." After Ranma's death and the loss of his best friend, Soun had resolved to be strong and support his daughters. Rebuilding had started slow, but eventually, word had gotten around and now Soun was teaching several classes a week and the Tendo Dojo was once again the prestigious institution of its golden years. Even Happosai had admitted that Soun had proven himself as a fitting heir and had retired to a sunny beach in South France, where he still troubles young women.  
  
"I agree that Mr. Saotome should have been there to help Ranma, but isn't seppuku a little extreme?" Akane asked.  
  
"Maybe so, but he couldn't bear to tell his wife that he was in a restaurant eating while his son was fighting for the life of his fiancee," Soun answered.  
  
"Have you heard from Auntie Nodoka lately? How is she?" Akane asked, not losing much of her good mood.  
  
"Yes, actually. I recieved a postcard from her the other day," Soun answered. "She's apparently doing very well in America. It seems that Americans are quite willing to pay rather high prices for authentic Japanese cuisine. As a matter of fact-"  
  
Soun was interrupted by an arrow ripping through the sliding screen and imbedding itself in the table mere inches from his hand.  
  
"Hey! That could hurt somebody!" Akane protested, then took a closer look. "Huh? A letter?" she queried.  
  
"So it is," Soun confirmed. "It seems to be a challenge letter for you," he observed.  
  
"Oh?" Akane said, then perused the letter for a moment. "It is a challenge," she explained. "It says for me to bring Ryoga to the mountain where he learned the breaking point technique in one week!"  
  
"Would you like for me to come as well?" Soun asked, a little concerned.  
  
"No, Dad," Akane said, shaking her head. "If I'm going to be heir to the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, I need to do this for myself."  
  
A single tear rolled down Soun's cheek as he smiled proudly at his youngest daughter.  
  
------------  
  
Ryoga leaned against a large tree, trying in vain to catch his breath. He had been training hard for hours and still couldn't tell that he was making any real progress.  
  
"You're doing really well, boy," Cologne said. Unlike her new pupil, Cologne was showing no signs of tiring. But then again, she'd been doing this type of thing for well over a hundred years now. "You are turning out to be just as good a student as Ranma was," Cologne said, feeling a slight pang in her heart at the mention of the youth.  
  
"Do," "you really," "think so?" Ryoga panted in disbelief. Nobody had ever likened him to Ranma before.  
  
"Why yes," Cologne said honestly. "Why, it only took you two days to learn the Chestnut Fist this time."  
  
"So what do we do now?" Ryoga asked, beginning to get his breath back.  
  
"For now," Cologne said, "we rest. Tomorrow, I'll begin training you in an ancient amazon technique that not even Happosai knows about."  
  
------------  
  
It was lunchtime at Furinkan High School when Akane Tendo heard a sound she'd hoped she would never hear again. It was a sound that nearly stopped her heart and froze the blood in her veins.  
  
"Akane Tendo! Now that you are truly free of the vile sorceror's influence, I have come to date with thee!"  
  
Akane's smile was replaced by a grimace as she turned to face the bouquet-wielding lunatic hurtling toward her across the schoolyard.  
  
"Halt!" a commanding voice shouted, causing everyone to stop and look in the direction from which it had come. Many who looked dropped to their knees in prayer at what they saw. Tatewaki Kuno was one of them. Akane Tendo went pale and just stared. High above the school grounds, a figure hovered. All that was visible was a silhouette of a winged man as it hovered just in front of the sun. "You, Tatewaki Kuno, are always preaching about the vengeance of Heaven. Stop bothering Akane, or you will face my wrath!" To make his point, the winged figure unleashed a fireball that blasted a large hole in the schoolgrounds a few feet from the samurai wannabe.  
  
"The vengeance of Heaven hath brought itself upon me, though I know not why. I have so wronged the powers that be," Kuno muttered to himself, shaken to his core. "I must cleanse myself of this evil!" he exlcaimed taking off the way he had come. Nobody blocked his path as he left.  
  
A lone figure knelt near the edge of the schoolyard, tears running down her face, staining her school dress with an old pain. "That-" she started. "That couldn't have been-- no, the voice wasn't right, it couldn't have been him." New tears flowed for a few moments, unnoticed by anyone else. Once the flow of tears had ebbed once again, she looked sadly at the place where the figure had been a few moments before. Sighing, she began collecting her books as the schoolbell rang in the distance. "I guess I'll never get over him," she said to herself, taking one last wistful look. "Oh, Ranchan. I still love you."  
  
------------  
  
"Oh, hello, Akane. What are you doing home so early?" Kasumi asked, peeking out of the kitchen.  
  
"I've had a rough day," Akane said, "and I really don't think I'd be able to handle any more school today."  
  
"Oh, I see," Kasumi said, smiling cheerfully. "Would you like some tea?" she asked, pulling a tray from seemingly nowhere.  
  
"Uh, no thanks, Kasumi. I'm just gonna go work out some," Akane said, thinking   
  
A few minutes later, Akane was in the dojo, doing a kata that, at the moment was jerky and forced. This fact was not lost on Akane, and she stopped, standing still to center herself before beginning again. This time, the kata flowed gracefully from one move to the next as Akane's mind shut out everything but the Art. Worry, self-doubt, sadness and anger all drained away as her body seemingly took on a life of its own. Akane spent quite a long time like that until a small gasp brought her back to reality. Turning toward the sound, Akane almost fainted at what she saw.  
  
"I'm sorry, Akane," the figure said from the shadow of the doorway. "I expected you'd be a bit better after two years, but I had no idea you'd be THAT good."  
  
"Uh, thanks," Akane said, "but what are you doing here?" Akane could feel old hatred welling inside her and fought to keep it down.  
  
"There are a lot of things we let go unsettled, and well..." the voice trailed off, unsure of how to approach the subject. "I was hoping we could be friends?" the figure in the shadows said finally.  
  
"I..." Akane started. "I guess I could use a friend right about now," she said, smiling that she could finally reconcile with an old enemy. "Thanks a lot, Ukyou," Akane said, identifying the figure at last as it stepped out of the shadows and into the light of the dojo. The two embraced, both glad to finally have a real friend in their time of need. "Ukyou, we need to go find Ryoga. He and I are supposed to answer a challenge tomorrow!" Akane exclaimed, remembering the dire task at hand.  
  
"Any ideas where he is?" Ukyou asked.  
  
"Yeah, but we have to hurry before he tries to find me," Akane said, thinking about Ryoga's sense of direction. Ukyou just nodded her understanding.  
  
------------  
  
"You have a question?"  
  
Kiima trembled at the power in that voice. Timidly, she asked the question on her and all of her companions' minds. "My lord, why did you not destroy the human female today when you had the chance?"  
  
"YOU DARE TO QUESTION MY ACTIONS?!"  
  
The booming voice sent all of the gathered Phoenix people scrambling to their tents and left Kiima trembling in fear at the feet of her King.  
  
"If you really must know," Saffron continued in a low voice, "it's because I challenged them for TOMORROW, and I will not go back on my word of honor."  
  
"Yes, my lord," Kiima said through gritted teeth. "I understand."  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Hey everyone! Thanks for reading my story! I think that the next chapter is going to be the last one... Actually, I think I'm gonna do an epilogue, too, so that'll be fun, right? Anyway, as you can see, I brought in Ukyou. Why, you ask? Because she just happens to be my favorite character in the series. Either way, she won't play too big a part in the rest of the story, but I do have some plans for her. Stay tuned because the final showdown is gonna happen in the next chapter. By the way, no guarantees on when it'll be done, but I hope to get it finished within a week or two. Again, thanks for reading and please, please, please, please write me and tell me what you think, what you like, where you think the story should go, where you'd like to tell me to go, anything.  
  
-Andy 


	6. Legacy

Chapter 6: Legacy  
  
Cologne stared in awe at her pupil. Not only had he mastered  
the technique she'd showed him, but he had actually mastered a more  
advanced form. This in itself was surprising, but what had caused her  
jaw to drop was that she'd never seen this variation before and had  
only heard of it once. And that had been nearly a century and a half   
ago.  
  
As Ryoga's form appeared before her, she composed herself and   
gave him a warm smile. "Well, you certainly are full of surprises,  
aren't you? How about after your battle, you come back to China with  
me? My great-granddaughter Hyacinth would just love to challenge you."  
Cologne chuckled and made placating gestures with her hands as Ryoga  
blanched and began stammering refusals. "Calm down, Boy. I was only  
joking."  
  
Ryoga sighed in relief and wiped his forehead with the back of  
his hand.  
  
"I am impressed with your progress in mastering that technique,"  
Cologne said, serious once again. "I must ask, though; how did you  
learn to improve it like you have? The technique you just demonstrated  
has only been mastered by one man in history," Cologne explained. "And  
he died almost 150 years ago, taking his secret to the grave with him."  
  
"Well, uh," Ryoga stammered, shocked and somewhat embarrassed  
by the compliment, "I really don't know. It just felt like the right   
thing to do." With this, he put his hand behind his head, now clad in  
a solid black bandanna, and chuckled nervously.  
  
"My, my, you are an interesting young man, aren't you?" Cologne  
said, entertaining thoughts of kidnapping him for the tribe before   
banishing them under the crushing weight of her memories of Ranma.  
  
"By the way," Ryoga began, disrupting her train of thought and  
drawing her back to the situation at hand, "I've been meaning to ask  
you about Shampoo and Mousse. How are they? What have they been doing  
now that they're back home in China?"  
  
"Well," Cologne started, "because Ranma is dead, Shampoo's  
honor before the tribe was restored and, owing to the training she  
recieved from fighting everyone here, she remained the undisputed  
tribal champion since her return. Mousse was readmitted to the village,  
although not many wanted him. Only his mother's tearful plea and a few  
words from Shampoo and myself saved him from permanent exile."  
  
"Shampoo?" Ryoga asked quizzically. "I'd have thought she'd be  
glad to be rid of him."  
  
"Shampoo may not want to marry Mousse, but neither does she hate   
him," Cologne countered. "He is one of her oldest friends and means  
much to her." Cologne's eyes darted around quickly and she leaned over  
to whisper in Ryoga's ear. "To tell you the truth, I think she'd happily  
marry him if he could manage to defeat her in combat."  
  
Cologne straightened herself, then burst into a fit of laughter  
at Ryoga's expression. "You- you mean she never really loved Ranma?" he  
stammered, in shock.  
  
Cologne's mirth fell like a stone as she smacked Ryoga across  
the head with her staff. Her gaze was like ice as she spoke. "My  
great-granddaughter was devestated by the loss of Ranma, and it took   
quite a bit of effort to keep her from killing herself and to turn her   
pain into a reason to excel. I will not have you questioning the honor  
of my family and my heir."  
  
"I'm sorry," Ryoga said, head hanging in shame. "I spoke without  
thinking again. I'm trying to stop doing that, but it's very hard. I   
meant no disrespect."  
  
Cologne's face softened, though the memories of her great-  
granddaughter's hardships still burned like acid in her heart. "It's   
alright," she said finally. "That was a very trying time for my family  
and it still hurts to think about it. This situation you're in isn't   
helping my mood, either."  
  
"What about Mousse?" Ryoga asked after a lengthy and uncomforatable  
silence. "How does he feel about what happened?"  
  
"When I told him and Shampoo the news, I expected a celebration  
out of him, but he simply nodded his understanding and locked himself in  
his room. When we were preparing to leave two days later, he emerged   
fully packed with a look of peace on his face. Upon our arrival in China,  
he told Shampoo that he would end his pursuit of her so that she may  
grieve for her loss. I have only caught a few fleeting glimpses of him  
since then. Each time, he was watching Shampoo from a distance with  
a deep longing in his gaze and his face wrought with determination."  
  
Ryoga looked at the amazon matriarch skeptically. "That doesn't  
sound like the Mousse I know."  
  
"I know what you mean," Cologne said, a thoughtful look on her  
wisened face. "I asked around the tribe about him, but the only people  
who knew anything at all about him simply said that they didn't see him  
often and that, when he was around, he kept to himself. Even his mother  
said that he would be gone for days or weeks at a time and that he   
wouldn't say more than necessary when he came home for supplies."  
  
Ryoga's face became a mask of puzzlement as he contemplated what  
he'd just been told. "That doesn't make sense," he muttered to himself.  
"He's always been persistant in his quest to win Shampoo..."  
  
Cologne was about to reply when she sensed something, her head   
snapping up and her eyes narrowing. "Yes, it is indeed baffling, but  
we have no time for that now. Someone's coming."  
  
Ryoga nodded and teacher and student faded from view as two dark  
figures approached the makeshift training ground.  
  
------------  
  
"Wow. It looks like Ryoga's really taking his training seriously,"  
Ukyo said, noting the various patches of scorched grass and the general  
trampled state of the entire area.  
  
"I know," Akane agreed. "It looks like a war zone, here."  
  
"I've been on a completely new training program," Ryoga said,   
startling the two girls as he stepped into the clearing from seemingly   
nowhere.  
  
"Hey, Ryoga," Akane said, recovering quickly from her initial shock.  
"I got a challenge letter the other day from-"  
  
"Saffron," Ryoga interrupted.  
  
"Yeah, how'd you know?"  
  
Akane felt something poke into her back, which caused her to jump  
fifteen feet into the air. "I told him, child."  
  
Akane nearly facefaulted when she recognized the small figure.   
"Cologne. I should have known you'd be back."  
  
"It does not matter now, child. We have little time and must make  
haste to the appointed location," Cologne said, feeling more than a little  
proud of herself at still being able to sneak up on the girl.  
  
Without further discussion, the group turned with grim determination  
toward what may well be thier final stand.  
  
------------  
  
Four silhouetted figures stood motionless as the sun rose over  
one of the larger mountains just outside of Tokyo. Tension was thick  
in the air as two of the figures fidgetted nervously. Of the other two,  
an aura of complete calm radiated from the smaller while the taller, the  
only male of the group, gave off an aura of confidence the likes of which  
had only been seen once before in the history of the world.  
  
"Where are they?!" Ukyo nearly screamed, nervously gripping her   
battle spatula.  
  
Akane and Ryoga started at the sudden outburst and Cologne just   
sighed. "Patience, child," the old woman said. "They will arrive soon   
enough."  
  
"How very true, Elder," said a strange voice from the nearby forest,  
causing the group to start. Even Cologne jumped as she had not felt anyone's  
approach.  
  
she thought; her   
eyes narrowing.   
  
Bearing looks of grim determination, the small group watched silently  
as the subject of countless nightmares stepped out of the shadows and into   
the clearing.  
  
Saffron strode toward the group with grace, power, and poise that   
spoke of great skill as a fighter. He wore loose fitting pants and soft, light  
slippers. He wore no shirt, showing off a well-toned, well-muscled chest,  
seemingly custom crafted to enhance both strength and speed. Strong black  
wings sprouted from his shoulder blades and were folded neatly against his   
back. An ornate headdress covered most of his features without obstructing  
his movement or sight. (Author's note: think Houer from Fatal Fury: the   
Motion Picture, but covering the top, sides, and back of his head)  
  
"You seem surprised to see me," the Phoenix King said, a smirk tugging  
at his lips.  
  
"But Ranma killed you!" Akane exclaimed as she was the first to   
recover her voice.  
  
Again a smile tugged at Saffron's lips. "I am a phoenix. It is my   
very nature to die and be reborn."  
  
Akane mentally kicked herself for sounding so stupid.  
  
"Anyway," Ryoga interrupted the dialogue, "you issued a challenge and  
we are here to accept." Ukyo, Akane, Ryoga, and Cologne all dropped into   
fighting stances at this, but Saffron's upraised hand stopped them from   
launching an attack.  
  
"My challenge does not include the others. I wish for a duel with   
you alone, Ryoga Hibiki." Saffron gestured to the forest behind him. "My   
people are watching this fight. If any of the others interfere, there will  
be consequences."  
  
Ryoga turned to his companions, who nodded their understanding and  
backed away. With a final, wistful look into Akane's eyes, Ryoga turned his  
attention back to Saffron and took up a defensive stance.  
  
Saffron grinned as Ryoga stood confidently in front of him. "Let's   
dance."  
  
  
================================================================================  
  
Author's note: First of all, let me apologize for taking so long to get this   
chapter written. I got slack and deserve any loss of readers I've suffered.  
Second, let me apologize for ending the chapter like this. Obviously, there   
will be another chapter before this story is finished. I'm not too good at   
writing combat, so I'll need a little time to work on this fight scene. Also, I  
just felt like this was a good place to stop for a break. Anyway, thanks for   
reading and I hope you've enjoyed the story thus far. As always, feedback is   
very welcome and helps to motivate me to write. 


	7. From the Ashes

Author's pre-Note: Wow... after two years, it's finally over.  
That's right, everyone. This is the final chapter and the battle  
between Ryoga and Saffron comes to a close. About time, eh?  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 7: From the Ashes  
  
The battle taking place more resembled a dance than a duel to  
the death. Ryoga and Saffron were trading lightning-quick blows   
casually, each testing the other's defense for holes. So far,   
neither combatant had managed to land a solid hit.  
  
Without preamble, Saffron disengaged from Ryoga, leaping away  
to get some distance.  
  
"I see you have improved quite a bit, human. You may be even  
better than that pesky human who was responsible for my last death,"  
came his booming voice.  
  
"Feh," Ryoga responded. "I may never have the raw talent   
Ranma had, but I worked hard to get where I am."  
  
"Well, then-" Saffron started.  
  
"And another thing," Ryoga said, cutting him off. "If you   
ever speak ill of my best friend again, I'll send you to Hell."  
  
Saffron smirked. "Well then, shall we stop playing around  
and fight for real?"  
  
Ryoga's cocky smirk matched Saffron's almost perfectly.  
"Fine by me. Take this! Moko Takabisha!" he yelled, unleashing a   
blue energy bolt at his opponent.  
  
Much to the surprise of those present, Saffron didn't dodge,  
but put his hands out in front of him, catching and holding the blast.  
"NYAAAAH!" he grunted, barely managing to deflect the ball of ki over   
his head, where it detonated harmlessly against the tree line.  
  
"Quite impressive, human. But remember this; I am power   
incarnate. You will not defeat me so easily. Let's see if you can   
handle this!"  
  
Saffron seemed to blink out of existence momentarily and   
Ryoga was caught off guard and thrown backward as the Phoenix King  
reappeared, fist extended in a punch.  
  
Cologne's eyes widened as the two girls beside her gasped.  
"Good LORD, what speed!" she said in disbelief. "I never even saw  
him move."  
  
"Ryoga will still be ok, won't he?" Akane asked, nervously  
watching the boy in question as he slowly got to his feet.  
  
"Of course, child. Ryoga still has a few tricks up his   
sleeve," Cologne answered, sounding much more confident than she   
really felt.  
  
Ryoga shook his head to clear it and looked at his opponent,  
who was smirking triumphantly and waiting for him to get up.  
  
"Come on, now, Hibiki. I know you can do better than that."  
  
"Shut up, you arrogant bastard!" Ryoga growled, launching   
himself at Saffron.  
  
Saffron's smirk shifted to a grin as he moved his head out   
of the way of the Lost Boy's fist. Pivoting, he sent a round kick  
to the side of Ryoga's head. Ryoga caught Saffron's kick on his   
forearm and retaliated with a knee to the gut, only to have that   
blocked.  
  
Saffron followed up his block with a right cross, which  
was blocked, and a side kick to the solar plexus that connected,  
eliciting an audible "oomph" and knocking Ryoga back a little.  
  
Before Saffron could press his advantage, Ryoga surged   
forward with a quick high/low combination, scoring a glancing hit to   
Saffron's ribs, knocking him off balance just long enough to unleash  
the chestnut fist.  
  
Saffron took about 50 or so hits before he recovered enough   
to counter with his own chestnut fist, stunning those present and  
knocking Ryoga back yet again.  
  
"H- how?" Akane stammered.  
  
"Didn't Ranma-honey use that on him the last time you guys   
fought this guy?" Ukyo suggested.  
  
"If he was able to learn the Amiguriken after seeing it  
only once, then he is more powerful than I could have ever imagined,"  
Cologne said, her voice heavy with worry.  
  
The trio fell silent and watched as Ryoga stood up slowly,   
clutching his right side and looking much worse for wear. He glared  
at Saffron and cursed under his breath. "Why don't you quit holding  
back so we can finish this?"  
  
Saffron sighed as flames sprang to life around him. "If you   
are so eager to die, then I shall grant your request."  
  
Ryoga smirked and took up an offensive stance, his aura   
flaring around him. "If you think you can follow through with that   
boast, then bring it on!"  
  
Saffron's jovial manner dissappeared and his aura grew in size   
and strength, dwarfing that of even an enraged Happosai. His voice was  
icy as he addressed Ryoga for the final time. "I gave you a chance to   
save yourself, human. Now you will see the folly of your arrogance!  
IKARYU-KEN!"  
  
A wave of flame and ki burst forth from Saffron's outstretched   
hands and streaked toward his opponent, almost too quickly for the eye   
to follow. Ryoga, as expected, had no chance of dodging. Just before  
impact, though, the wake of fire began to swirl and compress into a small  
ball in Ryoga's hands. The ball continued to pulse and grow until Saffron's  
attack tapered off, leaving it about the size of a basketball.  
  
Akane and Ukyo just stared in wide-eyed wonder as Cologne beamed  
triumphantly.  
  
Sweat poured down over Ryoga's brow as he struggled to contain the  
unimaginable power in his hands. "Now," he grunted, "I'll send you to  
Hell! RYU KESSHIN KEN!" Ryoga released the stored energy in a large blast  
that destroyed everything in it's path toward Saffron.  
  
Saffron was quite unprepared for this turn of events and was caught   
square in the chest as Ryoga's attack exploded violently in a nova of heat  
and blinding light.  
  
As the smoke cleared and everyone's vision returned, they found   
that the blast had left a huge crater. Ryoga sank to his knees when he saw  
what was in the middle of said crater. Ukyo, Akane, and even Cologne gasped.  
Saffron stood, clothing and helmet destroyed, though seemingly unhurt,   
regarding them with familiar sky-blue eyes.  
  
"Well, well," Saffron said, breaking the silence," it looks like  
you've learned a few new tricks. Take care of her, P-chan; I'm counting  
on you." With that, he spread his wings and too flight.  
  
"Ranma-honey!" Ukyo cried.  
  
"Ranma?" Akane asked.  
  
Ryoga stared at the ground, tears streaming down his face. "Ranma,   
I will not fail you."  
  
Cologne watched as Ranma... err, Saffron flew off into the distance.  
Several other dark shapes rose out of the forest as he passed over, following  
their king over the horizon to wherever their camp lay. [Maybe this will   
finally end the age-old emnity between the amazons and the Phoenix tribe,] she  
mused hopefully.  
  
The group took one last, melancholy look at the horizon and began the  
long trip back to Nerima, readily anticipating the end of the madness that  
had plagued their lives for the past few years.  
  
==================================================================================  
  
Author's Note:  
  
In answer to one of the reviews that caught my attention: yes,   
Ranma/Saffron would change genders with cold water, though, being a Phoenix and  
thus a living flame, cold water never touched him... it gets heated up before it  
makes contact. 


	8. Epilogue One: Reunion

Epilogue I - Quest Fulfilled

The young woman paused on the trail as she gained the summit of a particularly nasty hill. A short distance away she could make out the start of a trail that led to the top of a high mountain. Upon seeing this the bulk of her weariness left her, as she knew this to be her destination.  
Near the top of the mountain, where her gaze finally came to rest, sat a large, impossibly old castle, inside of which she knew that she would find the man she loved with all her heart. The young woman took one last drink from her canteen, picked up her pack, and started along the trail with somewhat more of a bounce in her step.

---------------------------

"Open the gates," the Phoenix Lord's voice boomed across the courtyard.  
"She comes."

"My Lord," Kiima addressed her King tentatively, "are you sure you want to do this? This has never been done before. Never have the Phoenix people allowed an outsider to join our tribe."

Tenma, as the Lord of Phoenix Mountain had renamed himself, shook his head softly. "Kiima, I understand where you are coming from, but what I do is for love. Haven't you ever loved someone so much that nothing could stop you from being with that person?"

"No, my Lord. Never. I live only to serve you," Kiima replied, straining to contain the fit of giggles threatening to spill out.

"Well, uh, umm..." Tenma stumbled, causing Kiima to lose control. "Ahhh, you!" Tenma growled, taking a playful swing at her that missed by no less than two feet. "Just open the gate!" he called to the guards.

----------------------------

The young lady spent most of the trek up Phoenix Mountain trying to figure out what she was going to say to gain entry into the castle, and had only managed to come up with a lame, half-baked excuse about the King owing her some money by the time she came to the castle gate. To her surprise, though,  
the gate swung open before she could even open her mouth to call out. 

"I knew the minute I saw you at that clearing that you'd come for me"  
Tenma's rich voice came as soon as the view was clear.

"I- well- uh- yeah," she stammered, kicking herself mentally for getting so flustered. She took a deep breath, looked into his smiling face, and finally managed to get out what she really wanted to say. "I love you, Ranchan, I always have and I always will."

"And I love you, too, Ucchan." 


End file.
